A powerful earthquake in western Afghanistan has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people, according to the Taliban’s announcement on Sunday.
This catastrophe comes as Afghanistan grapples with another quake and a severe economic crisis. The earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, struck 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Herat city in the western Herat province, Afghanistan’s third-largest province.
Zabihullah Mojahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, provided the grim statistics of 2,053 fatalities, along with over 1,240 injuries and 1,320 houses either partially or entirely destroyed.
There is a growing concern that the death toll could rise further. Rescue teams have been dispatched to Herat province, and essential supplies like food, water, medicines, and clothing have been sent to the affected area. Following the initial earthquake, multiple aftershocks were felt in neighboring provinces of Badghis and Farah.
Initial assessments from the United Nations had estimated a lower death toll of approximately 100 and 500 injured. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported nearly 500 houses destroyed and 135 buildings damaged. OCHA also noted that a total of 4,200 people (equivalent to 600 families) have been affected by the earthquake to date.
Heart-wrenching images depict vast piles of debris and rubble, as buildings have crumbled. Survivors have gathered in the streets for safety.
“Mahal Wadakah” is reported to be the most severely affected village, with at least 20 deaths. Other heavily impacted areas include Dasht Hows, Bahadorzai, Zoryan, and Koshkak.
Additionally, approximately 300 families (around 2,100 people) have reportedly been displaced to Herat City, where they are residing in abandoned buildings.
Afghanistan has endured a series of destructive earthquakes, compounding its ongoing economic and hunger crises, resulting in the death and displacement of tens of thousands. The nation has long been one of Asia’s poorest and has been ravaged by conflict for decades. However, its capacity to respond to natural disasters has been further hindered since the Taliban assumed power in 2021 following the turbulent U.S. withdrawal, prompting the withdrawal of many international aid organizations.
Furthermore, this situation has led to the freezing of about $7 billion of Afghanistan’s foreign reserves and the cessation of international funding by Washington and its allies, exacerbating an already aid-dependent economy.
The World Bank recently warned that two-thirds of Afghan families are currently facing “significant challenges in maintaining their livelihoods,” making it even more difficult for Afghans to recover from frequent earthquakes, given the country’s susceptibility to seismic activity.
In March, a deadly quake struck northeastern Afghanistan, causing residents to flee their homes as it toppled entire buildings and triggered devastating landslides. Tremors from this quake were felt in several major Pakistani cities and as far away as India’s capital, New Delhi.
Last June, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the eastern Paktika and Khost provinces, bordering Pakistan, claimed over a thousand lives and prompted frantic efforts by aid groups to reach victims and survivors in areas with inadequate infrastructure. This quake coincided with heavy monsoon rains and winds, which significantly impeded search and rescue operations and helicopter travel.
On January 17, 2022, another earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck Badghis, a western province near Herat bordering Turkmenistan, killing more than 20 people and reducing hundreds of brick homes to rubble.
